Raises rejected for retired Westmoreland County employees

For the first time in 13 years, Westmoreland County’s 1,400 retired government employees will not receive cost-of-living increases.

“This is a very difficult budget, and one where we couldn’t afford to do a COLA this year. Difficult decisions had to be made,” Commissioner Ted Kopas said.

Retirees received 8.1% cost-of-living increases in 2023.

The county’s elected officials — including the retirement board, which is composed of the three county commissioners, Controller Jeff Balzer and Treasurer Jared Squires — received 3.5% raises this year. Those pay hikes are set by ordinance and correlate to the increases in the consumer price index.

The county’s unionized workers — including more than 500 members of the Service Employees International Union Local 668 and Healthcare PA — ratified a three-year labor deal this week with annual raises that total about 17% through 2026.

Commissioners have not yet said whether the county’s more than 400 nonunion workers will receive raises this year.

Dave Todaro, a retired county worker from South Greensburg, protested the retirement board’s decision.

“You guys all got raises. Employees got raises. There’s nothing for retirees,” Todaro said.

Commissioner Doug Chew defended the decision to withhold raises for retirees.

“We had to pay into the (pension) fund every year I’ve been here, and the earnings this year are not sufficient,” Chew said.

Officials said county is expected to pay up to $19 million from the general operating budget to ensure the pension account is properly funded in 2024.

The pension fund grew over the past 12 months by more than $56 million and is valued at $613 million, according to figures released Tuesday. It generated more than $85 million in new revenue through investments last year and paid out about $29 million to in fees and benefits to retirees, Balzer said.

“I think we’ve been good stewards of the money,” he said.